Anyone NOT get a pump?

[bostonsmama]

Poor DH is beginning to wonder how EBF is any cheaper than formula (even though he's highly in favor of it for convenience/health benefits) when everyone is saying how we'll need an expensive breast pump, Bravado nursing bras, bottles, nipples that don't cause confusion, and milk storage products. We're not going to do formula, but DH is having a fit about me registering for a pump (it's not like anyone buys you that, so it'd be on OUR dime).

I don't WOTH, and while I do plan to have moments where E won't be glued to me 24/7 (dates, exercise, etc), can I really get away w/ NOT buying a breast pump? I have friends who said it was invaluable when their DC wanted to sleep in and they were just so engorged they needed a little taken off the top. Also, if we wanted to go on a prolonged date or if DD just got fussy, we'd need to leave milk w/ a caretaker/grandparent. At that point would it be worth it to get a less powerful/cheaper pump? Does that really exist? And if it does, and it's nearly as effective, why are the PISA's so $$$?

[swissair81]

First of all. The Amedas are just as good (if not better- the Ameda was the pump of choice at the hospital I worked at). You can resell them (minus the pertinent parts) because milk doesn't get into the machinery. They are much cheaper than Medela & if you buy the Lansinoh pump (same pump) at Target, it's even cheaper.

Second of all, what are you planning on using it for? I think I pumped less than 10 times between the time of my son's birth & when he stopped nursing (at 16 months). I happened to have had a pump already. I certainly wouldn't have bought one, just to stay at home with him. Take a look at single electrics (like the Medela Single) or even a manual pump (Avent makes one). You really shouldn't need more than that. If you-
http://www.amazon.com/Lansinoh-Doubl...8942364&sr=1-2
http://www.amazon.com/Ameda-Purely-Y...8942425&sr=1-1
http://www.amazon.com/Medela-Single-...942511&sr=1-28
http://www.amazon.com/Philips-Avent-...8942536&sr=1-1
http://www.amazon.com/Philips-Avent-...8942536&sr=1-4

Alternately, rent a pump when you need one. Any home medical supply store should have one. Many hospitals rent them as well. The hospital grades are superior anyway, are cheap to rent & you only need to rent them on an as needed basis. I loved the Medela Symphony.

[lowrioh]

I know people who didn't buy an electric pump and just used a hand pump when necessary but I wouldn't recommend it. I used a hand pump for a month while I was traveling overseas with DD and it was a PITA. I had a quick let down and produced a ton of milk so I didn't have to pump very long but not all women are that lucky and need to pump for 20 min or so for a few ounces.
Do you have any friends who are done nursing and have a pump laying around the house. When I got pregnant with DD I had friends lining up to try to give me their pumps. I know that some people are grossed out by using a used pump but if you understand the physics of it all, I can't imagine how they could get contaminated. If you want to you can get new tubing and horns etc for less than $75. If you do get a new pump you can always sell it on CL for $100 and recoup some of your expenses.

Formula can be VERY expensive, especially if you baby has special dietary needs. I EBF until 10 months and I was shocked at how much money we were spending on formula when we switched over.

As far as bottles go, you are going to need bottles regardless of whether you formula feed of EBF. The vast majority of BF babies do not have nipple confusion and there are many studies that back this up. Storage bags are not very expensive and we actually never used them much anyway since we generally used up any expressed milk before it went bad. You can get 75 Lansinoh bags for ~$14 off Amazon with SS.
Nursing bras are not THAT expensive especially since you are planning on wearing them for a year...I mean you are going to need bras during that year regardless of whether you BF or not and I usually buy a couple of bras a year even when I'm not BFing.

[bostonsmama]

As far as bottles go, you are going to need bottles regardless of whether you formula feed of EBF. The vast majority of BF babies do not have nipple confusion and there are many studies that back this up. Storage bags are not very expensive and we actually never used them much anyway since we generally used up any expressed milk before it went bad. You can get 75 Lansinoh bags for ~$14 off Amazon with SS.
Nursing bras are not THAT expensive especially since you are planning on wearing them for a year...I mean you are going to need bras during that year regardless of whether you BF or not and I usually buy a couple of bras a year even when I'm not BFing.

*I* hear you, but these aren't "needs" according to my penny pinching DH. (insert eyeroll) New bras? "What's wrong with the old ones?" Bottles? Isn't that what your breasts are for? He didn't grow up w/ any sisters; he's the baby of the family, so he never saw younger sibs get raised, and his parents were really tight w/ money. I feel like I'm just gonna have to wait until she gets here b/c he's just not "getting" it.

Thanks for the links, B. That's Lansinoh DEP looks like something I could register for at least that's not $300. It's $150 at Target.com, but $112-120-ish on Amazon. Does it get cheaper than that?

[swissair81]

Thanks for the links, B. That's Lansinoh DEP looks like something I could register for at least that's not $300. It's $150 at Target.com, but $112-120-ish on Amazon. Does it get cheaper than that?

Check ebay.

BTW, I wouldn't borrow a (medela pump from anyone). Not only does it void the warranty, it really is contaminated by the first user. Unless you know they have no secrets, I wouldn't risk it.

Oh and most pumps come with 2 bottles & they usually make nipples to go with it. Otherwise, buy 1 or 2 bottles. You won't need more.

[PGTB]

Check ebay.

BTW, I wouldn't borrow a (medela pump from anyone). Not only does it void the warranty, it really is contaminated by the first user. Unless you know they have no secrets, I wouldn't risk it.

Oh and most pumps come with 2 bottles & they usually make nipples to go with it. Otherwise, buy 1 or 2 bottles. You won't need more.

That depends on the pump I guess. I have a Medela Freestyle and I don't see how it can be contaminated. The pump itself is a completely separate unit that only comes in contact with tubing which only has air circulating though it and never comes in contact with the milk. The actual pump is what costs the most, the parts that come in contact with milk are those that cannot be shared, but they can be bought for less than $40. I don't know about PISA.

I also have rented Symphony pump which is similar in a way that the pump itself is a separate unit not coming in contact with the milk. I had to buy my own shields/valves/membranes to use it.

I think the entire contamination scare is just a propaganda by the pump companies to make you buy new ones. At least for a Freestyle pump, I don't see how it's different from the hospital grade pump that gets used by multiple people and where you have to buy your own shields/membranes/valves to use it.

[WolfpackMom]

That depends on the pump I guess. I have a Medela Freestyle and I don't see how it can be contaminated. The pump itself is a completely separate unit that only comes in contact with tubing which only has air circulating though it and never comes in contact with the milk. The actual pump is what costs the most, the parts that come in contact with milk are those that cannot be shared, but they can be bought for less than $40. I don't know about PISA.

I also have rented Symphony pump which is similar in a way that the pump itself is a separate unit not coming in contact with the milk. I had to buy my own shields/valves/membranes to use it.
.

I bought a pump in style used for $75, I bought all new tubing, shields, membranes etc for around $30. In fact, I simply called Medela because I didn't know where to buy new tubes and they sent me new tubing for FREE. The actual pump is completely seperate from what you use to pump with, if there was a risk of containmination from just the pump part then you wouldnt be able to rent pumps (FWIW you can rent pump n styles and free styles etc, not just the hospital grade ones). I wouldnt hesitate to check our Craigslist or ebay or childrens consigment sales.

[swissair81]

That depends on the pump I guess. I have a Medela Freestyle and I don't see how it can be contaminated. The pump itself is a completely separate unit that only comes in contact with tubing which only has air circulating though it and never comes in contact with the milk. The actual pump is what costs the most, the parts that come in contact with milk are those that cannot be shared, but they can be bought for less than $40. I don't know about PISA.

I also have rented Symphony pump which is similar in a way that the pump itself is a separate unit not coming in contact with the milk. I had to buy my own shields/valves/membranes to use it.

I think the entire contamination scare is just a propaganda by the pump companies to make you buy new ones. At least for a Freestyle pump, I don't see how it's different from the hospital grade pump that gets used by multiple people and where you have to buy your own shields/membranes/valves to use it.

The Symphony is made to be used by multiple people.
I also own a Freestyle and maybe what you say is true, but that doesn't have to make me comfortable lending it out (even if they bring their own attachments). I think the PISA might be the main problem, but again I don't have the comfort level. Especially not with the kind of health risk they are insinuating.

Plenty of people agree with you though. That's why so many people successfully sell their used Medela pumps on ebay & CL.

BTW, it's not the pump companies. Ameda doesn't have the same caveats. Neither do most other companies. Only Medela. The lactation consultants basically back up what Medela says. I've asked several.

[PGTB]

The Symphony is made to be used by multiple people.
I also own a Freestyle and maybe what you say is true, but that doesn't have to make me comfortable lending it out (even if they bring their own attachments). I think the PISA might be the main problem, but again I don't have the comfort level. Especially not with the kind of health risk they are insinuating.

Plenty of people agree with you though. That's why so many people successfully sell their used Medela pumps on ebay & CL.

BTW, it's not the pump companies. Ameda doesn't have the same caveats. Neither do most other companies. Only Medela. The lactation consultants basically back up what Medela says. I've asked several.

I totally agree, because I heard all the same propaganda. However, the funny thing is... I suspect my rented Symphony pump has more contamination risk because the condensation for some reason always builds up in the tubing and there was a tubing recall which made BRU stop renting Symphony pumps out. I have no problem with condensation in my Freestyle tubing. I guess if it really were financial problems and I were to choose whether to have the cheaper manual pump or the used nice double-electric pump, I would still choose the electric, knowing how much I use my pump, using manual pump would have made me quit breastfeeding altogether.

[swissair81]

Pumping didn't help my breastfeeding difficulties at all, so I don't know. I do know that if I buy another pump, it will be an Ameda. I love those things.